Can lupus cause loss of full potential of the voice box?

Lupus can cause inflammation in the joints of of the cartilages in the voice box. When the joints are inflamed your vocal cords may not be able to move and you may run into trouble breathing. Inflammation usually responds well to steroids. Lupus can also affect nervous system and can cause paralysis of the nerves that move you vocal cords. That can cause hoarsness if one nerve is paralized and/or trouble breathing if both nerves are not working. For more information and to evaluate you voice box you should see and ENT doctor.

Lupus is unlikely to damage the voice box directly, but it can sometimes attack the gut, causing swelling in the throat which may limit the movement of the vocal folds; in most cases, this can be reduced by the use of steroids or other anti-inflammatory drugs. Lupus can also attack the lungs and the diaphragm (the big central body muscle which lifts the lungs) - in each of these cases, it becomes difficult for the sufferer to fill the lungs completely with air, so the volume and steadiness of the voice can be affected.